


Company Standards

by FarenMaddox



Category: CLAMP - Works
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FarenMaddox/pseuds/FarenMaddox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for CLAMP Femslash Fest - Tomoyo's job as an HR Representative has somehow led to her being forced to reprimand Hokuto for bringing a Super Soaker to the company picnic. As a reprimand, it's not very effective. As a pickup line, apparently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Company Standards

 Most days, I love my job. But some days, “HR Representative” is the absolute last job title you want to have in a small company. It means you get put in charge of everything from organizing signatures for a get well card to answering the phones when the secretary is out. Most recently, it had meant organizing the company picnic, which had been enormous amounts of fun up until about twenty minutes ago.

The company picnic was supposed to be about creating a friendlier atmosphere, and about building trust and teamwork amongst the employees. I had orchestrated the entire thing: caterer, sound system, activities, even wrote half of my boss' speech, and still I didn't know where _she_ had gotten that gun.

I was now on my way to find out, having been ruthlessly put in charge of issuing the Official Company Reprimand. The boss didn't believe in waiting when it came to disciplinary action. I had tried very hard to protest that disciplinary action was even necessary in this case, but in the end I am just an HR Representative and not the CEO and therefore occasionally need to bow my head and do as I am told.

I found Hokuto (Sales & Marketing) laughing and teasing her twin brother (also Sales & Marketing) over a giant bowl of macaroni salad. She had specifically requested it, _yesterday_ , and being the accomodating soul that I am, I had immediately called the caterer and asked them to add it to the menu and agreed to the exorbitant extra fee for last-minute changes.

_You'd better eat that entire serving tray_ , I thought at her. Uncharitable, I know, but she was the reason I had just gotten chastised for no reason and forced into having a disciplinary talk on a day where I had hoped to actually enjoy myself. Maybe go sit on a blanket and have a good chat with my best friend, whom I'd been too busy to spend time with lately. I did  _not_ want to spend the day arguing with Hokuto about her behavior.

So I sighed, tapped her on the shoulder, beckoned her to come away from the group with me. I handed her a cold lemonade as a peace offering, noting with interest that her hair was already dry. I had no intention of sacrificing my own rather luscious locks for the sake of convenience, but a girl could quietly envy, right?

Hokuto stopped laughing, but she was still wearing a bright smile. “I saw you talking with the boss, Tomoyo. This is about the gun, huh?”

“Sorry,” I said, sporting a rueful smile of my own. “But really, Hokuto, the water balloon fight was just supposed to be for fun, there wasn't supposed to be a winner. I didn't even have a prize for that game! What were you thinking?”

Hokuto's eyes sparkled. “I was thinking I couldn't wait to see the look on Fai's face when he thought he'd won and I shot him between the eyes with a gigantic squirt gun.”

It had been, I had to admit, very funny. I'd literally never seen Fai surprised before, much less downright dumbfounded. I didn't know it was possible.

“But still. Camaraderie and team spirit? Don't you think it was sending the wrong message to our new hires?”

“I thought our company also valued innovation and creativity,” Hokuto shot back.

“I think you're just taking this prank war with Fai a little too far,” I replied smoothly, already internally berating myself. I was constantly letting Hokuto needle me into these petty arguments that were _quite_ beneath me.

“It's only too far when one of us starts begging for mercy.”

“I'll start begging for mercy before either of you,” I admitted with a sigh.

I didn't expect the sudden widening of her pupils or the quick intake of her breath. The air between us, already heavy with summer heat, suddenly felt so thick with tension that I could barely move.

“I wouldn't mind seeing that,” Hokuto murmured. Her voice had dropped about four octaves and sent a mysterious little shiver down my spine.

I suddenly realized what she was getting at, and I quickly averted my eyes. Straight down the top of her shirt,  _quite by accident_ , I assure you.

Hokuto's chuckle was dark as chocolate and twice as sinful. “I don't hear you objecting.”

“I, um.” When had my throat suddenly stopped working? I swallowed several times. And then finally I decided to hell with it, because Hokuto and I had been eyeing each other for months and we both knew it. I looked her in the eyes. “I don't beg.”

Hokuto's eyes blew even wider, and the smile on her lips was doing very pleasant (and poorly timed) things to my nerves. “Prove it.”

“If I must,” I said, going for casual and only managing pained. “Tonight?”

“Mine or yours?”

“Mine.”

Hokuto shared a place with her brother, for god's sake. I had  _standards_ .

  



End file.
